Australia will send a high-tech spy plane and about 85 military personnel, along with medium-range missiles, to the Middle East to help defend civilian infrastructure against Iranian attacks.

Gulf nations, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, have been bombarded with Iranian missiles and drones since the US and Israel launched attacks 10 days ago.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans to send an E-7A Wedgetail aircraft and advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles to the region, saying they would help protect about 115,000 Australians still in the Middle East.

“We’re not taking offensive action against Iran, and we’ve been clear that we are not deploying Australian troops on the ground in Iran,” he said in Canberra.

Defence Minister Richard Marles said there would be about 85 military personnel on board the Wedgetail plane, which will initially be deployed for four weeks.

The aircraft is one of the world’s most sophisticated spy planes, helping with surveillance, communications and early warning against attacks. It has previously been deployed to Europe to help Ukrainian forces in their war against Russia.

The plane will leave Australia on Tuesday and is expected to be operational by the end of the week.

The Prime Minister announced the deployment at an early briefing in Canberra. Photo: Mike Bowers

Albanese said the missiles will be sent to the United Arab Emirates to help defend against “unprovoked attacks”.

Pressed on Australia’s long-term plan for involvement in the Middle East, Albanese insisted his government’s contribution was purely defensive.

More than 2600 Australians had now returned home from the region on commercial flights, he said.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said they included the overwhelming majority of Australian citizens who were travelling through the Middle East and became stuck when the war broke out.

Two buses have been organised to help travellers stranded in Kuwait, where the airport has closed. Wong said there was a similar plan for Australians in Bahrain.

-AAP